Behavior Contracts

Abstract

In schools, behavior contracts typically specify a contingency of reinforcement that is satisfied if students meet specific behavior goals. Behavior contracts, also called contingency contracts, are supported by over forty years of research documenting their effectiveness in promoting individual behavior change across a variety of educational settings. The use of behavior contracts in schools often focuses on decreasing problem behaviors and increasing academic responding for students in general and special education settings. Contingencies developed within behavior contracts outline an expected behavior or completion of a task contingent upon a reward. This chapter provides information on behavior contract components, supporting behavioral principles, student populations for which contracts might be most effective, how to develop an effective behavior contract, and guidelines and considerations from research on implementing behavior contracts in applied settings.